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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29766057">Wolf</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/kittyofnight/pseuds/kittyofnight'>kittyofnight</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Suits (US TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>M/M, Protective Harvey Specter, Werewolf, Werewolf Mike Ross</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-16 00:28:53</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,514</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29766057</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/kittyofnight/pseuds/kittyofnight</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“Why hello young man,” The white haired man who had been watching him from across the room said. Shit. Shit. shit. Mike should have been aware, but he hadn’t exactly been looking. “It’s been a long time since I’ve met one so young,” the much older man said.<br/>“Not as young as he looks. Fully qualified lawyer, I assure you,” Harvey said, placing a hand on Mike’s shoulder. The old man backed off instantly. From a possessive display. Fuck. Getting all the wrong ideas. Harvey had no idea what he was reacting to, what he was signaling.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Mike Ross/Harvey Specter</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>108</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Trust</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>*****Mike*****</p><p>“Why <em> hello </em> young man,” The white haired man who had been watching him from across the room said. Shit. Shit, <em> shit</em>. Mike should have <em> known</em>, but he hadn’t exactly been looking. “It’s been a long time since I’ve met one so young,” the much older man said.</p><p>“Not as young as he looks. Fully qualified lawyer, I assure you,” Harvey said, placing a hand on Mike’s shoulder. The old man backed off instantly. From a possessive display. Fuck. Getting all the wrong ideas. Harvey had no idea what he was reacting to. What he was signaling.</p><p>“Oh?” The man said, reacting to Harvey’s hand, not what he said. “I was already going to invite you to the mountains next month. You would both be welcome to come. Even better that way, really. My family will be there.”</p><p>“Thank you, but we’re fine,” Harvey said. <em> Really </em> not knowing what he was turning down.</p><p>“I- think you may need time to confer privately,” the man said, looking at Mike significantly. “You trust your <em> friend</em>, don’t you?” he asked, like he already knew the answer.</p><p>“With my life,” Mike replied.</p><p>“Good. I thought so. I don’t want to be misinterpreted or seen as overstepping. You said lawyer; where do you work?” he asked.</p><p>“I’m a senior partner at Pearson Hardman, Harvey Specter,” Harvey said, handing his card. “Mr. Ross is my personal associate,” Harvey said, still gripping Mike’s shoulder.</p><p>“I do get ahead of myself in my excitement. Your name, young man?” he asked.</p><p>“Mike.”</p><p>“And lawyers. A very useful trustworthy connection. I haven’t always been happy with my current representation. Perhaps I should consider a change. I am certain I will, in fact. Jonathan McMantis,” the man introduced himself, holding his hand to Harvey, who shook it quickly, and then to Mike. <em> Billionaire </em> Jonathan McMantis. Mike wondered if Harvey also knew the name and background information of every billionaire in America- every well advertised billionaire anywhere- like Mike did. Mike should have recognized the man’s face, though he hadn’t seen a recent picture and was rather busy thinking of other things.</p><p>“Investment banking, very successfully,” Harvey commented. Of course he’d at least know every billionaire in New York.</p><p>“I have… feelings about things, on rare occasions, and when I have one, I’m <em> certain </em> about it. Though, they have gotten me under some legal suspicion before. May I ask what your gift is, Mike?” he asked.</p><p>“My memory,” Mike admitted. Harvey gripped him more tightly.</p><p>“Very nice. Rather appreciated in your field. Well, I would love to work with you both, and I think you would enjoy working with me as well, Mr. Specter,” he said, holding out two cards. Mike grabbed them both, because he wasn’t sure if Harvey would. “I can mention you both to several prominent friends of mine. It’s important to find trustworthy people.”</p><p>“Very important, sir,” Mike answered.</p><p>“Oh, Jonathan or McMantis if you prefer, no honorifics between us. It was wonderful to meet you, Mike. And you as well, Mr. Specter. I look forward to us understanding each other better. I hope to be able to consider you a friend. You must meet my family as well, Mike. None are like us, but I believe you’d understand that.”</p><p>“Thank you, Jonathan,” Mike replied.</p><p> </p><p>“Just because he’s a billionaire doesn’t mean he can treat you like that,” Harvey hissed when Jonathan should have been out of hearing. Though he wasn’t. “He’s old enough to be your grandfather. Your <em> great- </em> grandfather even.”</p><p>“It wasn’t a... sexual approach. I’ll explain after we leave,” Mike said, trying to calm himself.</p><p>“We’re leaving now,” Harvey said with narrowed eyes.</p><p>“Fine. We’ll end up with far more profitable clients than you expected from the night anyway, if you want them,” Mike said, walking for the exit.</p><p>“What the hell was that about, Mike?” Harvey asked on the street.</p><p>“Not until we’re somewhere private,” Mike said. “Not even Ray around,” he clarified.</p><p>“Fine,” Harvey said tightly. He wanted to know badly enough then. Probably figured it was something illegal, or from a deeply unhappy past. And wanted to know how on earth a billionaire was involved.</p><p> </p><p>“Can any cameras see in here? Any listening devices?” Mike asked when they were alone in Harvey’s gorgeous, spacious apartment.</p><p>“Of course not. Mike, what kind of... what the hell are you mixed up in? Is McMantis involved? He seemed <em> very </em> familiar with you but also like he didn’t even know your name,” Harvey said, jumping between accusation and half-concealed concern, voicing things he had undoubtedly been chasing around in his mind for the last half hour.</p><p>Mike was pulling curtains and weird, fancy blinds. There were so many giant windows.</p><p>“Nothing illegal, technically. I’m going to show you. And changing halfway fucking <em> hurts </em> more than the rest of it, but I’m not ruining this suit or taking it off, or you’d just freak out worse so… don’t pass out,” Mike said, loosening his shoulders. “I trust you a whole fucking lot to be doing this, just so you know.”</p><p>“Mike, what the-” Harvey froze when the hair sprouted. That was the itchy but non-painful part. Growing the snout hurt. His whimper turned distinctly howlish. His vision was the muted colors but sharper detail, seeing the tiny pores on Harvey’s nose. He smelled very good for a human- for anyone or anything, really. <em>Really</em> <em>good</em>. Bad thoughts. Back, time to go back.</p><p>“Fucking hell,” Harvey whispered.</p><p>“Yeah. It’s- well, the colloquial term is werewolf. I don’t know how McMantis would feel about the name. But he’s the same.”</p><p>“So… were you… bitten by... something?” Harvey asked slowly.</p><p>“Genetic, not transmittable. Have it or don’t. My grandfather was- Grammy’s husband. My dad wasn’t. My grandfather was shot- by a werewolf hunter, before my dad was even born. Grammy moved across the country and changed her name, wrote a different father’s name for my dad on the birth certificate. So... I’ve stayed isolated from it all, avoided anyone who I could smell, because I don’t have any intention of being hunted,” he said, just going for the full information dump. Might as well at this point. “But they- we- are all gifted, in one way or another, and sometimes those people end up in powerful places, like being billionaires. McMantis trusts you because he could smell me, and from our- dynamic- assumed that you knew about me and were trustworthy. It will probably get us a bunch of other rich clients too, by the way, probably most of them like him- me- or relatives of those who are.”</p><p>“He said he hadn’t met one so young?” Harvey asked. Weird thing to focus on, really. But he supposed Harvey noticed it when he thought the man was hitting on him really overtly.</p><p>“I haven’t actually noticed someone near my age either,” Mike admitted. “But I’m still young, I guess, and they- we- are rare. You know there’s a long history of being murdered for being unnatural, right? Burned at the stake, shot, dissected in a lab? I’ve encountered four other wolves before today, all a generation or two above me, and we’ve all just stared at each other and walked away. But I have- <em> suspected </em> it of some famous people before, but never encountered one in person. My grandfather would say that they were powerful people though. I’ve never experienced it as a... subculture- if it is one anywhere- a very small subculture. You got invited to a werewolf ‘howl at the full moon party’ or whatever- transforming on full moon nights isn’t optional- but I’ve <em> definitely </em> never done something like that. Not with another werewolf ever, and not at all since my parents died. Grammy didn’t have the energy. I lock myself in my crappy apartment and hope that I don’t panic and destroy anything. I usually don’t.”</p><p>“Is there a concern of him- killing someone on this howl-at-the-moon trip?”</p><p>“A wolf is no more aggressive when transformed than as a human. Somewhat less... inhibited, but not a completely different person- or- yeah, I’m sticking with person. I try to just sleep through as much as I can so I won’t be useless the next day. Also, he’s older than he looks, and has more trouble moving around than he lets show. High pain tolerance, I’m sure. Changing is hard on any body. He said his family would be there, and I’m sure he was telling the truth- though I’m not a lie detector,” Mike said.</p><p>“How the hell is this not… known? Granted, I’m not sure that I’m not crazy.”</p><p>“You’re not. And I’m <em> not </em> half transforming again- it really sucks,” he said. And getting naked didn’t seem like a good addition to this day. “And it’s not known because it sounds crazy. And because of self-preservation.”</p><p>“How many do you think there are?”</p><p>“Don’t know. Strong enough perfume might mask it- but it’s pretty hell to be around, so I can’t imagine anyone putting up with that regularly. I’m really not a whole wealth of information on the topic. I just know what my grandmother told me of what my grandfather told her. His great uncle had been a wolf, and that man’s great, great aunt, and her grandmother. Stories that have passed through enough mouths that they seem crazy. Running in families, but not common among them. McMantis said he doesn’t have any among his children or grandchildren. He wanted to- make a connection to me as a younger wolf. And he made several assumptions from your protective nature of me.”</p><p>“And those assumptions would be…” Harvey led.</p><p>“You’d have to ask him. And you’ll have many opportunities to do so. But he definitely sees you as my- leader, which is true enough, but he would think it would extend beyond work- though I’m practically on call all hours, so there’s little difference.”</p><p>“Like I’m your… older brother or more like…” Harvey didn’t finish his sentence, which wasn’t like Harvey.</p><p>“He’d know we weren’t having- or at least that we hadn’t <em> recently… </em> had sex- or at least I would, I don’t know if that’s a normal thing- well, normal for a wolf. Oh, and Lawson and Son’s- totally wanted to tell you but couldn’t- definitely, definitely not father and son in any sense of the words. They definitely just decided a forty year age difference gay couple doesn’t sell as well to clients. And Douglas Crawford brought his kid to that meeting- hope the kid’s adopted, because otherwise, it’s not his.”</p><p>“So you know whenever anyone in the office has gotten laid?” Harvey asked, focusing on that bit.</p><p>“If the sex was on a Friday night, I probably wouldn’t know by Monday morning if they’ve showered a few times. Or wore enough cologne or perfume that I wanted to avoid them.”</p><p>“Would you know anything about the person?”</p><p>“If I’d met them before, I’d know who they were. The first day, I’d know- pre or post menopausal, if they were pregnant- or a man,” Mike said, looking at Harvey carefully. He’d smelled a man on Harvey only once, and wasn’t sure how secretive that knowledge was.</p><p>“Interesting.”</p><p>“And that time I said we absolutely could not take on that Vice President of Research at Polymatrix? Prepubescent child rapist. He’s awaiting trial now- took too long and a lot of anonymous calls, but it’s not going to go his way.”</p><p>Harvey nodded. “And all this is- connected to your memory?” He asked.</p><p>“Yeah. From what I know, all of us have something. My grandfather- apparently could <em> convince </em> someone of- just about anything if he needed it. And McMantis said he had <em> gut feelings</em>. Mine can pass as normal better than most, but it’s not. An eidetic memory doesn’t work like that. I can process thoughts more quickly than I let on, recall everything I’ve read, every conversation I’ve had, everything I’ve noticed, and I notice a lot of things. I tone it down to seem less weird. I probably shouldn’t use it as much as I do.”</p><p>“So McMantis wasn’t coming onto you?” Harvey clarified. He was still stuck on that then.</p><p>“Pretty sure he’s monogamous with his wife- who's almost as old as he is. But I didn’t notice he was a wolf until he was almost talking to us, and we left pretty quickly. If I had to guess, he’s interested in getting to know me to… share with someone younger, invite me- into his pack. Maybe so that if one of his grandkids has a wolf-kid, they have someone to talk to. And you got included on that invitation too. Whether anyone goes into the mountains or not, you don’t have to turn down a billionaire client. I’m going to say that premonitions aren’t insider trading, because there aren’t any laws against it.” There was a very, very good reason to turn down the man as a client. Very good reason.</p><p>“Would you be- in increased danger by associating with him?” Harvey asked, in his most protective way. Mike relished it.</p><p>“The man’s lived to be ninety-seven. If anything, I’d be safer learning from him. But I- don’t know that I could do that without telling him about my- other secret.”</p><p>“Mike!”</p><p>“We can make excuses and turn him down if you think it’s not worth it. But I can’t mix in his pack with a secret like that. I couldn’t meet his <em> grandchildren</em>. He might not want me as his lawyer after hearing that, but he wouldn’t do anything to endanger me, I can tell. I’d bet my life on it. I’d bet yours too. He’d probably even still want you if I was nowhere near his cases.” Which would be weird to the firm and Jessica, because Mike was Harvey’s associate, but they’d make it work.</p><p>Harvey breathed deeply several times.</p><p>“Whatever you’re going to say, just say it,” Mike said.</p><p>“Do you really think you’re the best judge of character?” Harvey asked.</p><p>Ah. Fair question. And Mike knew what he meant.</p><p>“Trevor was a good friend when I was young. He was my family, especially after my parents died,” Mike said. “He changed. I think seventeen year olds change a lot more than ninety-five year olds. And I still never trusted Trevor enough to tell him any of this. I’ve only <em> ever </em> told you this, and I really didn’t have to. I could have just let you think Jonathan was a dirty old man.”</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>*****Harvey*****</p><p>Harvey didn’t like Mike calling the old man ‘Jonathan.’</p><p>It was a small silver lining that Jessica hadn’t been this happy with either of them since the blight of learning Mike’s past. She said that maybe there was something she would come to understand about what made this kid so great. She wouldn’t understand. And it had very little to do with why Jonathan McMantis wanted Mike and Harvey jointly on all of his work.</p><p>Harvey didn’t know much about Mike’s conversation with the man other than it ‘went well.’</p><p> </p><p>Harvey had always been… protective of Mike in his own way. Mike obviously needed help navigating their world in certain ways because he didn’t… come to it the same way everyone else did. And the kid’s heart was too big to not hurt himself multiple times a day. And sometimes he needed to tell the kid to order him food and get something for himself too, because the kid would be reading and forget to eat. Though Harvey had done the same thing, the man was skin and bones when Mike started working for him. Less so now. But there was still that damn bike. And really, protecting Mike’s secret was Harvey protecting himself now, because he’d thrown his lot in. No one who knew them would believe that Harvey didn’t know. Maybe they couldn’t find evidence of it, but maybe they could. Harvey’s reputation could be utterly destroyed either way.</p><p>It had been an objectively stupid risk, but he was too far gone now.</p><p>Except he probably wasn’t.</p><p>If Mike got a different career now, he was much less likely to get caught, which would be better for both of them.</p><p>Mike would be good at anything.</p><p><em> Jonathan </em> could and would get Mike a job doing something amazing, life fulfilling, and challenging without Mike even needing to send a resume somewhere. The man would do it the moment Mike asked, Harvey was sure. Maybe, he’d even do it without being asked and present Mike with options.</p><p>He should want that for Mike. He should even want that for himself. To relax and not worry about his life crumbling.</p><p>Probably Harvey could probably get Mike a few interviews in an afternoon- and no one wouldn’t hire Mike after an interview. If the eyes didn’t get them, the brain would.</p><p>But then Mike wouldn’t be there every day, and no one else was like Mike. No one else challenged him in the same way, had the brilliant ideas, the attention to detail, and the heart. Harvey didn’t actually want to be a heartless lawyer. And when Mike was there, he didn’t have to worry about it being too insensitive, because Mike would do those things for him. They <em> fit</em>.</p><p>Now he wasn’t just protecting his and Mike’s career, financial security, and freedom from jail- which had already felt like more than enough. This was Mike’s actual life. The man’s grandfather had been <em> murdered </em> for being like Mike. It wouldn’t happen to Mike.</p><p> </p><p>Harvey didn’t want Jonathan McMantis to come in and make everything okay when everything was already great. Mostly great. Nothing bad would happen.</p><p> </p><p>Mike had trusted Harvey, had trusted him more than anyone else who wasn’t blood. He needed to not be jealous of the old man.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Pack</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>*****Harvey*****</p><p>Harvey was going to a ‘howl at the moon party’ because he wasn’t going to let Mike go alone.</p><p>Not that he controlled Mike’s actions outside of work.</p><p> </p><p>Mike was a city boy who loved their enormous, problem-ridden city as much as Harvey did. But maybe Mike just loved everything, because he stuck his head out the window on the way up and smelled the trees. Harvey had loved camping as a kid. </p><p>It was cold out, and Harvey didn’t have his coat on in the car.</p><p>“Sorry,” Mike said, and closed the window, even though Harvey hadn’t actually objected.</p><p> </p><p>“So glad you could make it Michael,” the eccentric billionaire greeted them personally, with his wife and two of his adult children. There was no staff at the cabin ever, they had said. A billionaire family doing their own dishes and laundry. Cleaning the toilets. Though ‘cabin’ was an understatement.</p><p>“And you as well, Mr. Specter. And if you’d like me to call you another name at any time, let me know,” he said.</p><p>That was another thing. Harvey had only ever heard Edith Ross call Mike ‘Michael,’ the one time he’d met the woman.</p><p> </p><p>He was certain they had exchanged words, he and Edith, but Harvey could just remember the woman staring at him and finally nodding, unrelated to whatever they were saying. When Donna told him about the call from the nursing home... when they’d finally told Donna when Mike wasn’t there- because people would tell Donna anything… Harvey thought that the woman must have known that she would go soon, and wanted to see what Mike’s world was like. Maybe if whatever work Mike was doing was worth it. Maybe just if he’d be okay. Sick, old grandmothers didn’t just show up and their grandson’s place of employment. She was different. Maybe just because she raised him, and Mike was different, like her husband had been.</p><p>After Donna told him, Harvey went personally, instead of sending Donna like she offered, or finding Rachel, whom Harvey knew would do it. He held Mike when he cried, and when he screamed. Even when Mike was screaming that he hated the work that kept him from spending time with her. Harvey only shushed him when he tried to apologise for the screaming.</p><p>It was strange to hear someone else call Mike that, but Mike didn’t mind, so Harvey couldn’t- shouldn’t mind either. It had likely come from their first talk that had gone so well.</p><p> </p><p>For their meetings, for each of them McMantis had requested ‘either of you, both of you if you’re available.’ And Mike had always made the time to go, had always wanted to. Sometimes Harvey went too, when his schedule allowed and he wasn’t irritated.</p><p> </p><p>Even though nearly all of McMantis’s family was able to attend, there seemed to be plenty of available bedrooms in the cabin- enough for he and Mike each to have one. Which was fitting. They were both grown men. They would never share a room in a client-paid trip. But this was a cabin- mansion in the middle of woods dense enough to hide even it.</p><p>They were nice rooms. A fireplace in each, which was enough to make Harvey curious about chimneys, which he’d never been curious about before. There was a shared, nice enough bathroom connecting the two rooms.</p><p>Both his room and Mike’s had a queen sized bed. Unlike chimneys, Harvey had many opinions on beds. A twin bed was fit for a child, and extra long twins were for college. A double meant that one person could be comfortable, or two uncomfortable. A queen meant that two people could share a bed easily, but not have much room to spare. At home, Harvey had a king, even though he rarely had bed companions for actual sleep. Didn’t <em> that </em> often have a bed companion at all. He could have more frequent visitors if he tried.</p><p> </p><p>Lunch was made by one of McMantis’s daughters, her husband, and their teenage daughter. A real family activity, apparently.</p><p> </p><p>McMantis asked to speak to Harvey after they were settled. He only asked for Harvey, not for both or either of them, so it wouldn’t be business.</p><p> </p><p>“Are you comfortable here?” the man asked.</p><p>“Very. Your home is lovely,” Harvey answered.</p><p>“Do you know why I asked you here, Mr. Specter?” he asked.</p><p>Harvey didn’t, exactly. The man had invited him before even knowing his name, and hadn’t rescinded the offer. Because he misinterpreted Harvey’s relationship with Mike in some drastic way that Harvey preferred not to speculate over.</p><p>He had probably been releasing… confused, protective… pheromones, and Mike was used to it, or too uncomfortable to mention it. Mike had been in a tux, which Harvey hadn’t seen before. He’d even gotten- or rented- a nice one.</p><p>“I believe because you wish to have a connection with Mike, and thought he’d be more comfortable with a friend. And you deemed me trustworthy, which I appreciate,” he answered.</p><p>“You have good instincts, and you follow them. Remarkably so,” the man said instead.</p><p>“Do you mean for a non-wolf, sir? If that is… Mike wasn’t sure of what verbiage you preferred,” he said. He would be polite to the billionaire client even when the man was patronizing. Polite enough.</p><p>“Wolf is fine, but I meant of anyone, young man. You are certainly more attuned with your instincts than young Michael is with his. Or else, I imagine he never would have ended up in the hotel you were conducting interviews in, or several steps in his life before then. But, perhaps it was fate.”</p><p>“Do you believe in fate, sir?” Harvey asked. It seemed the most respectful address.</p><p>“I haven’t decided. But I don’t think it matters. And, if any form of it exists, it does not preclude human choice. We are what we choose to do.”</p><p>“And what do you think my instincts have told me that I’ve acted on?” Harvey asked. He didn’t know the man that well. They’d met under a month ago, and exchanged emails and met on business matters a handful of times.</p><p>“Michael. Your Mike. I think you saw him, talked to him, and every piece of you said that you were going to do anything you needed to do to keep him in your life as closely as possible. I knew three weeks ago that you didn’t know what he was. But I also knew that you should. That he would tell you, with a little push, and that he would be glad he had. Call it one of my<em> feelings</em>. Call it an old man playing cupid. Because you can’t tell me that protective nature of yours over him is purely platonic. And you <em> must </em> see the way he looks at you. Ask him on a date. Stop talking to me, go find him, and kiss him. Tell him you love him. Hell, don’t waste any time. You live in <em> New York</em>. Ask him to <em> marry </em> you. You won’t regret it.”</p><p>The magic man wanted him to… What sort of smell had given him any indication at all that… Perhaps there was attraction… But...</p><p>Harvey didn’t see men often. He didn’t lie about it, but it never came up in his professional life. And nearly all of his life was his professional life. No one would assume. Except Mike had smelled it on him after the Henderson case closed.</p><p>He’d thought Mike had looked at him oddly for a moment the next morning. He had had a horrible image that the idiot had left a visible hickey high enough on Harvey’s neck, even though he had checked his collar twice that morning. Harvey wasn’t opposed to the idea of marking, but it was horribly gauche for what was clearly a one night stand.</p><p>But it was a fleeting look and he was sure that there was no way that Mike could possibly know. And he wasn’t… ashamed of it. If someone confronted him about it, he wouldn’t deny it. He’d rehashed numerous situations in his mind for literally decades. He just thought it was something that would come up eventually. But New York City was large. And the relatively nice gay bar he favored on occasion was still not in the same league of establishment that he would bring a client to. The worlds never crossed.</p><p>He liked women too- women of all shapes and sizes. And they made more comfortable guests at functions where he didn’t have to worry about offending a rich, ancient, potential client. But he wouldn’t <em> lie </em> about it.</p><p>He’d always liked blue eyes, men or women. But his taste in men had once been shorter, muscular, blondes. Now they were more… average to above average height, slim to average build, brunettes.</p><p>And he cared that they were intelligent, and <em>clever,</em> and would stand up to him, and had a heart.</p><p>There wasn't much utility in lying to himself.</p><p>“Young man?” Jonathan McMantis prompted. “I believe Michael is occupying my great-grandchildren in the yellow room on the North Wing,” he said.</p><p>Because this overgrown cabin had <em> wings</em>.</p><p>“Thank you,” Harvey said. Because what else was there to say?</p><p>“I could tell Michael that your room had weather damage and you need to share,” the old man offered with a conspiratorial smile.</p><p>“I can manage talking to him on my own, thanks,” Harvey said.</p><p> </p><p>Mike’s clothes were by the door. He’d probably come in, taken them off, and howled to tell the kids to come in.</p><p>He was a beautiful brown wolf.</p><p>There was a toddler clutching his back and giggling, and three girls perhaps five to ten circling around.</p><p>Human or wolf, Mike was good with kids. Harvey didn’t even know what to do with that information.</p><p>“Hey,” Harvey said. “Kids, can I get some time alone with Mike?” Harvey asked.</p><p>Little girls scattered, giggling, the biggest one grabbing the littlest of Mike’s back. Harvey wondered if they knew what was going to happen or if little girls just giggled all the time. He’d spent very little time around his nieces.</p><p>“You are breathtaking,” Harvey commented. He grabbed a throw blanket from the couch, and draped around Mike’s wolf shoulders, kneeling and grabbing the side of his furry face just after that. Wolf Mike sitting was taller than Harvey on his knees. “No- need to change back, especially because I know it hurts, and you playing with little children is frankly adorable. But if you do want to jump in with some comments, feel free,” Harvey said. Petting Mike’s ears, his face.</p><p>Mike nodded.</p><p>“So I talked to the magic old man I’ve been jealous of for the last three weeks. That’s insensitive, I know, but I’m an asshole. He admitted to being a manipulative old bastard himself. But I think he had some damn good advice,” Harvey said. He had seen the looks. He’d… imagined that they were more intense since the Henderson case, had thought that it was just his own thoughts getting more intense. He’d thought that it would be too much of a risk. That their lives were already too complicated.</p><p>But a person only lived once. </p><p>“Don’t bite me,” Harvey instructed, cradling Mike’s jaw, and kissed him, right on his canine mouth, pulling back two seconds later. Slightly more than a peck.</p><p>It was fascinating to watch Mike change in front of him.</p><p>“Harvey?” he whispered.</p><p>“Good advice?” Harvey checked.</p><p>“Very good advice.”</p><p>“Yeah, well, might as well go all the way with it, then. Marry me,” he said.</p><p>“Harvey are you… okay?”</p><p>“Can go to the nearest town clerk right now. Can find the right judge to waive the twenty-four hour wait requirement. I’m the best damn closer in the state.”</p><p>“I didn’t think you <em> believed </em> in marriage,” Mike said, but he was smiling. “Certainly not in marriage before sex.”</p><p>“You have been the exception to every rule I’ve ever had for myself. Though I do already have you fairly naked, and that couch looks comfortable enough. But we also have… four hours until moonrise, and I’m getting attached to today as our anniversary. Feel free to tell me I’m insane. I’m well aware of my descent into madness from the first moment I laid eyes on you. You don’t have to be complicit in all of my insanity just because you are the cause.”</p><p>“I had a dream that we got married so that you wouldn’t have to testify against me,” Mike confessed.</p><p>“Not the most romantic, but did it work?” Harvey asked.</p><p>“It was a marriage of practicality, but eventually you fell in love with me.” Mike informed him.</p><p>“Good. Will you marry me?” Harvey asked.</p><p>“You really think you’ve thought this through and aren’t just doing it because a… man with premonitions gave you the idea?”</p><p>“I can think of far worse reasons. I'm following my instincts. But I have thought about it, yes. Thought about how from the moment I met you, I’ve wanted to do anything to keep you close to me. How I hate seeing anyone flirting with you, and that it’s far, far worse if you seem interested in return.”</p><p>“We should- probably talk about the sex before a commitment like that,” Mike said uncomfortably.</p><p>“Whatever you want. I have only topped in the past, but they were strangers, and I felt uncomfortable,” Harvey said, still stroking Mike’s face. Light stubble instead of silky fur. Both were nice.</p><p>“No- I’m just- actually more... suited physically to be- receiving, but it’s… even when I’m human… it’s… different enough that it would be- extremely obvious that I’m not a <em> normal </em> human. So I couldn’t- so I haven’t trusted anyone enough to tell them, so I’ve never… had sex with anyone,” Mike confessed.</p><p>Every bit of Harvey was in agreement that this was a <em> very </em> good thing. “Good,” Harvey said, kissing Mike again. Mike’s human lips responded much more eagerly. Harvey’s hands grazed Mike’s thinner shoulders, nudging the blanket without pulling. “Can I see?” Harvey asked. “I’ll love whatever is different. We’ll make it work,” Harvey promised.</p><p>Mike had the blanket locked around his arms. Nervous. “Ah… well it’s sort of like a dog’s if you’ve ah- ever had a dog?”</p><p>“Not since childhood, and she was a girl.”</p><p>“Right ah- it’s not exactly like dogs anyway. I mean, it looks and functions largely as human-s do, just it’s… mostly internal unless I’m aroused and ah- no x-rays allowed, because I have a baculum. Which really, humans are unusual for <em> not </em> having. Almost all other mammals, including all other primates have them.”</p><p>X-rays. “Is that- a penis bone?” he asked.</p><p>“Yeah,” Mike admitted, red faced. “And- um, when I’m close to ejaculating, and then there’s... it’s called a bulb or a knot. It swells near the base- a lot- more than doubles in thickness. In canine mating it’s called knotting because inside it… locks them into place until it subsides… about twenty minutes later. But I could just not stick it in that far, if you wanted to do anal that way, so it would just- shorten what there was to work with near the end. And my ass is totally normally human so ah, that’s an option, or non-penetrative acts.”</p><p>“Do you stay hard for twenty minutes after ejaculating?” Harvey asked.</p><p>“Um- well- yes, but also like… periodic… emission for… that period… like… it’s a lot... I’ve never tried to fit it in a condom, but I’m sure it would just leak from the base, even around my knot. There’s… it’s very atypical.”</p><p>
  <em> What? </em>
</p><p>“Do you have a twenty minute orgasm?” Harvey asked. Because… <em> fuck</em>.</p><p>“No? I mean… I really don’t have practical comparison, but no, it’s not continuous. But it’s… good.”</p><p>“Okay, we'll need a lot of lube and time, but we’re doing that. Doing everything. I didn’t bring lube, did you? Why are we at an overgrown cabin in the middle of the fucking mountains without a drug store a block away?” Harvey complained.</p><p>“Because I’m going to turn into a wolf all night?” Mike reminded him.</p><p>“And I- we- have four hours before then,” Harvey said. “And I’m not above raiding the kitchen for some coconut oil. But I should be tested again, just in case, before anything penetrative without a condom. You do want this, right?” Harvey checked.</p><p>“What about dragging me to the town clerk’s?” Mike asked, grinning. Harvey could imagine something canine in it.</p><p>“You still haven’t said the word <em> yes</em>. If I were a less confident man, I’d be riddled with worry. But I’m also very distractible by sex.”</p><p>“<em> Yes</em>, Harvey. I... want to marry you. But I do think <em> today </em> seems a little rash. I mean, you might want to try actually dating me first? I have very little experience with it, but I’m not thinking you have the most steady dating past either?”</p><p>“I’m horrible at it, but you seem to tolerate me well for the last few years. We could have sex first if you want,” Harvey offered. “We’d make something work. I’d suck you off,” he said, wondering how that would work. How much fluid? He’d probably end up spitting it all over both of them, but that didn’t have to be bad.</p><p>“Harvey. I- Harvey, can you explain what you want here? Please?” He wasn’t talking about the sex.</p><p>“I want…” Harvey took a moment to at least half-plan sentences, because Mike was worth it. He wanted Mike. He'd always wanted Mike. He'd just gone about it differently. “I want to not waste time. We <em> work</em>. We fit. It’ll be great doing more,” he said. Because it would be. He knew it. He <em> felt </em> it. He was willing to call it an instinct, even, and listen to the magic man. “I… want to assure myself that I’m never letting you go and that I’ll never have to. And if that means a marriage license, or a ceremony, or rings, or any kind of sex you want, I want that as soon as possible. I’m all in. And I do want to get married. If not today, then soon. Because… we’re not going to get a seventy-fifth anniversary like the McMantises. Because we didn’t meet young enough- and wouldn’t have been the right people if we met sooner, and I’m eleven years older than you are. But I’d like a chance at a fiftieth, if I can stay in good enough health. I’ll... call up my mother who I haven’t spoken to since the last time you knew about. I’ll make a happier call to my brother. And now I’m realizing that a ring would fall off you when you change- maybe around your neck? If you wanted.”</p><p>“Are you telling your wolf man you want to get him a collar?” Mike taunted.</p><p>Harvey’s eyes floated closed, thinking about it.</p><p>“Fuck, I definitely did <em> not </em> say that.”</p><p>“But do you <em> want </em> it?” Mike asked, breathing in his ear.</p><p>Mike had never had an adult relationship before- or not a serious one, or at least not a sexual one. Hell, Harvey hadn’t had much of a real romantic relationship before either.</p><p>“Black leather on your pale neck sounds… quite alluring. On your furry one, I think I’d prefer a delicate gold chain. White gold? Platinum?” he considered.</p><p>“So long as it’s not silver,” Mike said.</p><p>“Is that a real thing?” Harvey asked. “Werewolves and silver?” Harvey would never get silver wedding jewelry, but he might own something somewhere.</p><p>“No. I just don’t like silver tarnish. I- had to polish Grammy’s silverware before every Thanksgiving, and it needed it again by Christmas. It was silver plated, not solid, of course, but she said it didn’t matter. That it was just to look pretty and wasn’t a person, so it was the outside that counted. I was thirteen when I found out that she’d sold it at some point after taking me in, and I cried for hours.”</p><p>Mike wasn't that open to everyone. Mike told Harvey things. Harvey tugged Mike to him and held him closely.</p><p>“We can just sit here for the next four hours, if you want,” Harvey offered. He was being too intense.</p><p>“Sounds nice. Though I’d like to at least make out with my boyfriend,” Mike told him.</p><p>“Just a boyfriend? I thought you said yes.”</p><p>“I never cared for the term fiancé. Sounds pretentious. And I’ve never had a boyfriend before, so I’d rather not skip that stage. I can go from boyfriend to husband when… we aren’t in the middle of the mountains. And we’re <em> not </em> calling in a judge favor to waive a twenty four hour waiting requirement that’s probably a good idea to begin with.”</p><p>“So, pencil me in for Sunday,” he said.</p><p>“I'm positive they don’t work on Sunday, and you also are not allowed to get an office open on the weekend or get Donna to do it for you. Monday for the paperwork. Tuesday for the marriage, at earliest. And, I don't need a big ceremony, but am I getting a honeymoon? Bit short notice for Jessica- also, I imagine everyone in the office is going to be a bit shocked?”</p><p>“I'm willing to bet several people will tell you they always knew.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Comments please! And kudos if you liked it. Thank you all.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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